A school security video from J.E. Manch Elementary in northeast Las Vegas shows a Clark County School District special education aide grabbing and dragging an elementary student along a hallway, according to investigators. The child is described in police records as autistic and having limited verbal communication. The aide was arrested the next day and now faces felony charges.
Investigators say the incident was recorded on Jan. 8 and captured in multiple clips from the school security system. One segment runs roughly three minutes and another just over a minute, and together they show the aide pulling the student from a classroom and dragging the child down the corridor. Witnesses told police the student fell to their knees before the aide grabbed the child by the arm, and school administrators who reviewed the footage estimated the student was dragged about 30 feet. Those details are drawn from an arrest report reviewed by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
The Clark County School District Police Department arrested 21-year-old Zachary May at the campus on Jan. 9 and booked him into the Clark County Detention Center, according to district officials. May had worked for the district since January 2025 and was assigned as a Specialized Programs teacher assistant at Manch Elementary. The district says he will be placed on unpaid leave under the terms of the negotiated bargaining agreement, as reported by KTNV.
What the Footage Shows
Police and school staff who viewed the tapes described an initial confrontation at a classroom doorway followed by a later chase down the hall. In that second sequence, the aide is seen grabbing the child again and pulling the student across the floor. According to the arrest report, other children were present and witnessed the encounter, and at one point the student briefly tried to kick at the aide during the struggle. The account of the interaction and description of the security footage were detailed in reporting by FOX5.
Charges and Court Dates
North Las Vegas Justice Court records show May is facing felony counts that include battery on a vulnerable person and child abuse or neglect. Clark County School District police say the charges stem from their investigation into the Jan. 8 incident and the arrest report submitted with the case, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Court filings indicate an initial arraignment took place in early February.
Later court coverage states that May entered a not guilty plea during a February hearing, and a preliminary hearing has been scheduled for March 10, 2026, as the case proceeds in North Las Vegas Justice Court. Defense counsel entered the plea on May’s behalf, and the case remains active while prosecutors and the defense prepare for the next appearance, FOX5 reported.
State Rules on Restraint
Nevada law sharply limits when school staff can physically restrain students with disabilities, allowing it only in emergencies where there is an immediate threat of physical harm. Federal guidance similarly warns that restraint should be used only as a last resort. Those restrictions and recommendations are summarized by the U.S. Department of Education and in national reviews such as one from the Government Accountability Office.
Broader Context
The case lands amid ongoing scrutiny of how the Clark County School District serves students with disabilities. Advocacy groups and recent legal filings have accused the district of systemic failures and have pushed for stronger oversight and more robust staff training. Questions about district policies and classroom practices continue to surface in litigation and in campaigns by parent advocates, according to public court records and advocacy materials. For background on the legal pressure surrounding CCSD special education services, see work by the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates.
District police say a wellness check at the student’s home resulted in photographs that showed no fresh injuries. School officials have not issued additional public comment while the criminal case is pending. May remains on unpaid leave as the legal process unfolds, with a preliminary hearing currently set for March 10, 2026.
